Aibu to think Mumsnet has issues with black women

[Ghanagirl]

Just that really, I’ve read really horrible comments about Meghan Markle, Alexandra Burke, Serena Williams talented and hardworking individuals who seem to offend some Mumsnetters simply by being beautiful and successful.
I’m not surprised as happens in RL but I guess it’s disappointing as Mumsnet touts itself as a more educated network than netmums

But the shoe isn't on the other foot.

To be fair, although there were a couple of comments that could be construed as racist towards Meghan Markle, there was also pages and pages of positive comments that I don't think can be ignored. Anything construed as potentially racist was jumped on by the communit.

The positive comments hugely outweighed any negatives and most of the negatives I saw as down to envy and bitterness as they were the exact same comments I saw directed at people like Kate Middleton, and any other white celeb that someone decided to bash. Hence my assumption. I could of course be wrong.

At one stage we had a female celeb a week that someone didn't like, most were white, and predominately the mumsnet members attempted to shoot down the poster as being bitchy..

Ive never seem a golly wog thread but if people were saying they were ok that's clearly not acceptable.

I do remember the princess pushy thread where she met Meghan for the first time and wore a brooch which was considered racist and there was widespread condemnation on here on her actions..

I think op the issue with this thread is that you stated mumsnet (as a whole) is racist toward black women and used name examples of recent discussions and accused everyone disliking said person as racist. That isn’t true. There are so many millions of people using mumsnet and some will be black themselves. You cannot state that a whole forum is racist. I can understand that as a white person, people may not see very little racist thing that a black person may, but to state that every whites person is racist is ridiculous. I’m not racist but I’ll admit I do like a good stereotypical joke, that doesn’t only include black people, but also the Irish and even Northern Ireland as they have their own little stereotypical traits. I also joke about black stereotypes with a black mate, she has also jokingly called me a honky. I don’t take offence and neither does she as we know eachother and are having a laugh, if it were said to me in the street with aggression I would classe it as racism, just as I would if something rude like “monkey” was said to a black persons or their children, like in your case which is disgusting and wrong on so many levels. I’ve experienced racism based on my colour and the fact I was a woman. I wouldn’t tar everyone black persons with the same brush though which is what is implied of white people though. I did use to call my friends little girl a monkey purely because it’s a term I’ve always heard growing up to describe an energetic child who likes to climb which she did. I forgot myself in the street once and didn’t have get some looks. Point is (I’ve digressed) you cannot day the whole of mumsnet is racist towards black women based on not liking someone who happens to have black skin and proving with screenshots of evidence would help.

One thread I thought was interesting in connection with this one is where a poster tried to discuss the fact that lighter-skinned black women with European features tend to be cast in preference to darker-skinned. This is a known phenomenon - colourism - but she was shot down, called a racist herself for 'seeing colour', told she was wrong, and posters were actually arguing that race is biological rather than constructed as though this was accepted fact.

Someone tried to have an interesting and sensible conversation about race and was shut and shot down very quickly. I don't think that necessarily means the site has a problem with racism overall, but as with this thread, the OP was very rapidly silenced and told she was the racist one.

@SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace I remember that thread. As I recall the OP of that thread had worded her post in a very bizarre way. It was essentially about colourism as you point out but she'd worded it in such a way I was left a bit lost with it all. I recall bringing up the example of Zoe Saldana playing Nina Simone and all that was wrong with that.

Yeah, she did word it clumsily, but also was making a fair point and willing to think about how it might be better expressed. I don't think she worded it in such a way that all the 'eh, what you on about, surely it's racist to think about skin colour' responses were justified.

Just looked back at my comment and Jesus there are a lot of mistyped words. If anything needs clarified let me know.

TerfsUp but, as the poster after you says, the shoe isn't on the other foot. It's not an equal playing field between black and white in our society.

Alpine- I said white people because it is about being told black people are imagining racism on MN We are discussing white and black (but feel free to twist it to make it fit your agenda). If the OP were discussing racism on MN towards white people then of course I would have used 'Black'. You're really scraping the barrel here but nice try anyway!

Mumsnet isn't really about listening or understanding another person's point of view. Quite a lot of posters will shut down and silence any OP they don't 100% agree with. It's not about teasing out or gentle questioning. It's about grandstanding and self-righteous proclamations. It's just doesn't have that culture of listening because that would require grace and hearing the message rather than dissecting the post.

It doesn't mean Mumsnet is racist although we will never know because it's not exactly a welcoming environment and the only ones to say would be black women themselves. If someone has the pluck to say I think this needs examining and actually this makes me feel uncomfortable then it's worth trying to make space for that person to speak.

VladimirsPoutine

I don't want to be pedantic because I agree at large with some good examples given on this post of MN racism (none given by the OP herself). However, I have to say that "she just doesn't seem suitable, she doesn't look the part." re Megan Markle is not in of itself racist without seeing the context. It could be (and probably is) referring to the fact she is a divorcee, or that she dresses quite scruffily/wore heels to a running track. No where would I see that comment and associate it with her skin colour. I think people are inferring things that simply aren't there. I agree with Bluntness that posters do seem very good at jumping on any racism on here, and shouting down inappropriate comments/reporting them and getting them removed.

It always surprises me how many posters use the word Pa*i (racist word) without showing any awareness of how racist it is. Posters usually do correct them though.

if you are going to say 'Pa*i (racist word)' then you have essentially put that word into people's minds and therefore you might as well stop being coy and just come out and say it.

Being coy?!
No, I won't spell out a racist offensive word. Nothing 'coy' about it.

you just did.

No, no I didn't.

well you did. I now have that word in my head, thanks to you spelling it out on this thread...

How odd are you? Stay off threads about racism, perchance, you're clearly struggling with some comprehension...

This thread is getting beyond ridiculous.

Most people know what pa*i(racist word) means. If the poster didn't want to use the word, why is that such a big deal?

As for racism on mn, I don't think it's a particularly racist forum as the op suggests in the title of the thread but from the sound of some of these posts I'm not allowed to have an opinion like that. I just have to accept that as a woc the op is right and I'm either lying, ignorant to the reality, blinkered or whatever.

I have seen a lot of racism aimed at SW and MM on other forums and have identified it when both overt and implicit.

i think it's odd spelling out a four letter word with three of the letters then putting (racist word) in brackets just in case anybody hadnt clicked what you meant.

If merely having the work pa*i in your head is a problem, then I rather suspect you're the one with the problem and not the person using that word.

Any other words we should avoid, just in case?

no that wasnt really my point, never mind.

Have you never heard of people saying "n word" to avoid using a racist term?

It's what that poster was trying to do. No need to go after her for it!

I don't get your point either Chickens

The op is right, as in the first post. The problem isn't Mn but society. What is trotted out in the real world is what seeps into threads. It's like the daily mail comment section. They avoid being overtly racist but the wording and tone still comes through loud and clear.
I have scaled back on talking about racism on Mn for this specific reason. It's depressing and it ruins your day. I can easily count on one hand how many threads I have read and commented on from the beginning of the year which has been based on race. It's mentally tiring. I have stoped reading most of them. I did the same thing two, three years ago with the daily mail and I feel so much better with less hate for haters.

Those who keep on asking about examples of racism must be the racist comment makers because most I have come across on Mn don't seem to notice they have done it. I know one who blamed it on something they picked up on from random comments being made generally in the media without thinking about the logic and meaning behind it.

Brave of you op for starting a thread where everyone who thinks they could be potential racist come forward to defend their unracistness. I bet that down the thread you have been called a snow flake already, lib* or some sort derogatory language created to silence those who speak up against racism, sexism.

I terms of Mn having issues with black women, you might be right. The only time you will get people flooding your post with defence is only when something racist has been said, the post is about racism, the said black woman has for some reason done something wrong and it needs to be talked about in regards to race (in most cases not as woman but as black woman). I don't even want someone coming here talking about why don't I post positive things about black women to talk about. Believe me it's pointless on Mn. It's like talking to a brick wall. Say something about racism and people will flood in. It's difficult to have normal conversation about life and work of black women on Mn. This includes the feminist board.